Lilli Paasikivi

Lilli Katriina Paasikivi-Ilves (born in 1965 in Imatra, Finland) is the artistic director of the Finnish National Opera since 2013 and a mezzo-soprano.

In her work, Paasikivi has set out to reshape the structures of opera and to find ways to combine technology with opera. In 2019, Paasikivi launched Opera Beyond – a project which aims to apply new technological possibilities and tools in opera and ballet.

Her roles have included Marguerite (in Opera North's La damnation de Faust ) and Octavian (in Der Rosenkavalier). She has also performed as Fricka in Das Rheingold with the Berlin Philharmonic under Sir Simon Rattle. In 2007, she performed as Ariel in Sibelius's incidental music to The Tempest at the Royal Albert Hall, London, in the 42nd BBC Prom. In April 2008, she performed Ernest Chausson's Poème de l'amour et de la mer with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. In November 2008, she sang Elgar's Sea Pictures and The Dream of Gerontius with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under Vladimir Ashkenazy.

In 2016 Paasikivi founded the Sydänkesän säveliä festival in Kisko, Southwest Finland. She was the artistic director of the Pyhäniemen kartano concert series in 2010-2015.

Paasikivi was awarded the Pro Finlandia Medal in recognition of her artistic merits in 2008 and the Commander’s Badge by the Order of The Lion of Finland in 2017.

Lilli Paasikivi is married to the violinist Jaakko Ilves since 1997 and they have two children.